Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 175

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 175. The Variable
The silence was suffocating. Close enough to feel each other’s breath, Jin and Arcen locked eyes, sizing one another up. Jin sought to break free; Arcen sought to bind him tighter.
‘This seems to be a first for him.’
Arcen smiled coldly and reached for Jin’s shoulder once more. The shock of being abandoned by his mother surely cut deeper than any ordinary wound. I was about to brush off his resistance as mere rebellion and offer some words of comfort when—
“Prince Jin.”
Ian’s call stopped him. Jin pushed Arcen away and approached Ian, who smiled kindly and patted his shoulder.
“How are your wounds faring?”
“The doctor has been thorough. I’m managing.”
Blood continued to seep through the bandages. While not life-threatening, it would make daily life difficult for some time. Ian offered quiet encouragement.
“I know it’s hard, but endure just a little longer. In time, it will pass.”
Wounds on the face or wounds on the heart—they are the same. Time does not heal all things, yet nothing remains wholly intact before the passage of time.
Endure, and you will overcome. Push through, and it will fade away.
Just as the tears had vanished from the boy’s eyes in that brief moment.
“Prince Arcen.”
Ian called to Arcen, who sat perched on the edge of the bed. The boy seemed to have forgotten the dignity of a prince, his chin resting in his palm as his waist bent. His expression made clear his deep displeasure with the situation.
“Come speak with me for a moment.”
“…I’m tired.”
“It will be brief. It’s for everyone’s safety.”
Though phrased as a request, the compulsion was unmistakable. It was a reminder that while the Magic Ministry ensured safety here, cooperation was expected. Arcen rose without protest and straightened his clothes.
“Jin. Keep up with your treatment. When Mother wakes, stay by her side.”
Arcen left the infirmary with a gentle smile, fulfilling his duty as an older brother to the end. Xiaoxi followed immediately behind, and Ian turned his attention back to Jin.
“Why did you call for your brother?”
Could it be that even Ian actually needed Arcen instead of me? Was there some scheme, some pretense of caring for me? Or was all of this genuine?
But had there ever been anyone like that in the Imperial Palace? Even in peaceful times, I was pushed to the margins. In times of crisis, even more so…
“Prince Jin.”
Ian lowered himself to one knee, meeting Jin’s gaze directly. His eyes were unwavering—the strength that comes from unshakeable inner conviction.
“Keep your mind steady.”
…
“Do not waver, no matter what cruel words you hear. Your Highness must remain resolute, for if you falter, Bariel falters. If you crumble, the lives of the people crumble. Always remember this: your destiny is a blessing.”
Listening from behind the door, I felt utterly exasperated. How could such a young child be so ruthless?
The Imperial Palace certainly bred unusually cunning children due to its nature. But this was rare even by those standards, and Ian inwardly clicked his tongue.
Jin looked up at the furrow deepening between Ian’s brows.
“Your words would suit the Emperor himself.”
“…For now, keep your distance from Prince Arcen. I will assign you a subordinate. Do not be alone together; always have someone with you. Even nonsense begins to sound plausible if you hear it long enough.”
Just then, a mage carrying dry clothes knocked softly on the door. A signal to end the conversation.
“Then, continue with your treatment.”
“Thank you!”
Jin called out loudly after Ian’s back as he left, rushing the words for fear of missing the opportunity. The mage suppressed a smile at the boy’s earnestness, and Jin offered another loud greeting.
“…Thank you.”
“Not at all.”
Ian bowed his head lightly and closed the door.
The corridor was silent. In the distance, the commotion of refugees echoed faintly, but it was too far away to hear clearly. Ian entered a reception room not far from the infirmary.
The door creaked open.
Arcen sat on the sofa, gazing out the window. His expressionless face revealed nothing of his emotions. I wondered what thoughts swirled behind that small head.
“What was your purpose in wishing to speak with me?”
“Prince Arcen. Did you visit Prince Gail’s quarters the night before last?”
A direct question. Arcen smiled faintly and denied it immediately.
“No.”
Xiaoxi shook his head slightly and looked at Ian. He knew well that he could not testify freely in front of Arcen. After all, he had been the assassin who tried to kill Gail, so it would certainly be problematic that he now served Ian as his master.
“Why ask such a thing? What reason would I have to visit my brother Gail’s quarters that night? Or do you suspect me of orchestrating the assassination?”
The nuance was subtle, but Ian caught on immediately. Arcen remembered meeting with Xiaoxi last night. Ian sat across from the boy and examined his face carefully.
“In any case, Count Ian. I find this rather perplexing.”
“What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“Just now, you saved Jin before me, didn’t you?”
It was pure curiosity. Ian was a verified man—a natural son of the Marquis who had even risen to Minister of Magic. That such a person would weigh himself against me and Jin was incomprehensible.
“A divine oracle rests upon me. Had I suffered harm instead of Jin at that moment, you too would not escape blame. Once this crisis is resolved, Mother will consolidate her forces around ‘us’ and restore order.”
Though he said “us” in words, it ultimately meant Arcen himself. With Marib and Gail gone, he would be the most likely successor, so this was a warning to think carefully and conduct himself properly. A warning not to inflate the hopes of his precious twin brother.
“Prince Arcen.”
Ian looked at the boy quietly and smiled.
“Do you believe yourself to be close to the throne?”
“What?”
“If the one close to the throne remains safe, then Bariel also remains safe. Beyond that, does it matter who harms whom? Look outside. Even now, Prince Marib and Prince Gail seek to kill each other.”
Arcen’s brow furrowed sharply. So Ian was saying that right now, it was not him but Jin who stood closer to the throne.
“Perhaps it’s because you come from outside, but your opinions differ.”
“You are too kind.”
Arcen clenched his teeth silently. Regardless, Ian set down the now-cold tea.
“Should memories from last night surface anew, please inform me at any time. Xiaoxi and Iza will remain at Prince Arcen’s side. As you can see, there are many refugees, so this is to protect your safety.”
Could he have secretly borrowed the Emperor’s secret passage? Or was there another accomplice?
‘Marib didn’t know the secret passage either, which is why he lost the Emperor. The possibility that Arcen knows of it is slim. It seems he must have used another method.’
Had Arcen noticed that Ian’s mind was in turmoil? The boy’s eyes narrowed. Though his appearance was identical to Jin’s, strangely, when facing him directly, one could not recall that resemblance at all. It showed just how different the two were.
“Count Ian. From what I see now, there is only one way to resolve this crisis as quickly as possible.”
Arcen leaned back against the sofa and murmured, tapping his fingertips idly as if bored.
“Find the father who fled. If His Majesty appears and rebukes the Crown Prince’s actions before everyone, Prince Marib will lose his legitimacy and become nothing but a traitor. Then the neutral factions will have cause to unite. The Magic Ministry won’t hide behind protective barriers—they’ll join the battle and rewrite history.”
Brilliant. It was a flow anyone could read, yet this ten-year-old Prince not only read it but extended the logic further.
“I don’t know what Father will do about Prince Gail. But one thing is certain—the real problem comes if Prince Marib wins.”
The only thing the Emperor could do immediately to invalidate Marib’s legitimacy was one thing: declare a new heir. It was a kind of political foundation to resolve the crisis.
“Which of us—me or Jin—do you think Father will choose as his heir? And once an heir is chosen, will that change even after the crisis is resolved? Once I take the position of heir, the voices opposing Jin will grow louder. He’ll become someone I must eliminate.”
Smiling brightly, Arcen extended his hand to Ian. Though I had refused before, this time the atmosphere made clear I would not accept refusal. Ian looked at the small hand and let out a quiet laugh. This time too, he did not take it.
“Prince Arcen. I understand what you are saying.”
So he wanted to draw the Magic Ministry—currently the center of the third faction—to his side. But to Ian, this proposal did not resonate.
“But Your Highness, there are two variables at play in your situation. First, the possibility that Prince Gail emerges victorious. Second, the possibility that His Majesty designates Jin as his successor.”
Of course, I didn’t want the first outcome either. If that happened, Jin would have no place to stand. Which left only the second option.
“Do you truly believe Father would place Jin in the position of heir?”
Arcen snorted derisively, as if to say there was nothing more foolish than painting such an absurd future. I simply bowed my head without answering. Did he not understand that the future, before it arrives in the present, remains full of infinite possibilities?
Knock, knock.
“Count Ian, I’ve brought the documents you requested.”
“Good. Review them carefully.”
At that moment, Romandro knocked on the door to report that his task was complete. He had retrieved the reports that had been processed during Minister Wesley’s tenure. If my suspicions were correct, there would be clues hidden within them.
“Your Highness Arcen, please rest well. If you need anything, you may ask Xiaoxi. And for the time being, both Deilaina and Prince Jin require absolute rest, so I’m restricting all visits.”
Arcen’s face crumpled. As if forbidding him from seeing Deilaina, let alone Jin, was crossing a line. But I didn’t correct him and simply grasped the door handle.
“And be careful with Xiaoxi. She has a difficult temperament and will bite if provoked.”
Xiaoxi let out a soft laugh at her master’s playful warning. She understood he was cautioning Arcen not to bother her, but the way he spoke of her was rather harsh. Arcen turned his head away sharply, expressing his displeasure through silence.
Creak.
Thud!
“Ian, over here.”
“Thank you for your efforts. There’s more than I expected.”
“The captains are waiting. Let’s go together.”
I took a step forward and carefully read through the documents Romandro had handed me.
They contained information about secret passages that could traverse the Imperial Palace in an instant. If the mechanism was similar to when I was Emperor, then magical power must certainly be involved.
For instance…
‘A massive painting, or perhaps a hidden door. If it were made of mana stones, I could trace its location.’
Just as I was about to enter the conference room to discuss this with Akorella, her scream greeted me from within.
“This can’t be happening! Heil!”
“Quiet. I’m still investigating.”
“Captain Akorella, compose yourself.”
“Compose myself? Now? Don’t you understand what it means that Riama is dead?”
Bang!
As I threw open the door, Akorella, tearing at her hair, and the mages froze, staring at me.
There was no need to ask what had happened.
Akorella’s scream had been filled with terror.
“Count Ian! It appears that Riama, one of the Three Captains, is dead. You understand what this means, don’t you?”
Of course I do.
Heil stubbed out his cigarette with a frown.
“If mana-sealing stones are being used in combat, we cannot guarantee the safety of this place.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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